Police Find Vital Clues In Chandigarh Lawyer’s Murder

Sippy Sidhu Recently Visited Vancouver And Took Part In Punjabi Sports Awards!

The victim, Sukhmanpreet Singh “Sippy” Sidhu, chairman of Sippy Sidhu Law Firm, based in Sector 91, Mohali, was shot dead at a park in Sector 27 on Sunday night. Sidhu, a grandson of a retired justice of the Punjab and Haryana High Court, recently visited Vancouver and was on stage at the Punjabi Sports Awards. Police sources said they had inputs that a woman was also present in the park along with Sidhu at the time of the incident. The police said they were verifying the information.

By R. Paul Dhillon

With News Files

CHANDIGARH – A day after a 34-year-old lawyer was shot dead at a park in Sector 27 here, the police quizzed three persons in this connection, including two who were reportedly involved in a controversial multi-crore land deal in Fatehgarh Sahib.

Sidhu, a grandson of a retired justice of the Punjab and Haryana High Court, recently visited Vancouver and was on stage at the Punjabi Sports Awards with hosts Kalwinder “Kal” Dosanjh and others, many of whom expressed shock at his sudden murder.

“The last few days have been spent in mourning, trying to comprehend the tragic loss of a close friend. Although I would normally reserve comment on this matter, the violent and tragic loss of his life has left all of us in shock. Rest in peace Sippy Sidhu and may justice be served,” wrote Dosanjh on his facebook page.

The UT police claim to have some vital clues in the murder case of a 34-year-old Sidhu that could soon lead them to the killers.

Though officials were tight-lipped on the investigations, sources said on the basis of the call details of the victim’s mobile and questioning of a girl, who is believed to have been present at the time of the incident. The police quizzed at least six youths.

However, UT IGP RP Upadhyay said the police had been informed that some girl was present in the park and was seen running away from the spot. He said they were yet to verify who the girl was, reported the Tribune newspaper.

The police have not ruled out the contract killing angle. They are trying to establish a link between the girl and the “two assailants” who fired at the victim from two different weapons, both .12 bore guns. The sources said the assailants fired at the victim from two weapons to ensure that he got killed.

Investigators believe that the assailants were tracking the victim and chose an isolated area to kill him while he was with the girl. To corroborate the theory, the footage of CCTV cameras installed at different points in Sectors 19 and 27 is being analysed to seen vehicles entering and leaving the area over the past two days.

Unconfirmed reports suggest that the girl present with the victim at the time of the incident was compelling him to get married to her despite the fact that the lawyer was already engaged.

On the fateful day, Sidhu was supposed to go for a movie at 8 pm along with his fiancee. However, he advanced the plan to 4 pm since someone had asked him to visit the park in Sector 27 later in the evening.

“It seems Sippy’s female friend asked him to come to the park at Sector 27 in the evening following which he pre-poned the movie plan,” said a police official. The victim straightaway went to Sector 27 from his home in Mohali at around 8 pm.

On the fateful night of Sidhu’s murder, a young man staying nearby, who was present on the first floor of his house, could hear gunshots after which he along with other residents searched the area in a car. They then went inside the park and with the help of a torch found the body lying there. It was the same man who had informed the police.

Sources said two persons involved in the land deal were also questioned by the police. Sippy had struck a land deal with two parties, including an owner of a multinational company, following which one of them nursed a grudge against him. A friend of Sidhu was also quizzed by the police, reported the Tribune newspaper.